The facts are: construction is under way today on two Port Authority bridges on Staten Island, a new Goethals Bridge that will give Staten Islanders a modern bridge and improve the efficiency of truck traffic into New York Container Terminal, and a new roadway at the Bayonne Bridge that will include modern 12-foot lanes, medians and shoulders, a new 12-foot bike/pedestrian path and the ability to accommodate mass transit in the future. Raising the roadway of the Bayonne benefits all container terminals in the harbor, including NYCT at Howland Hook.

In addition, the Port Authority significantly expanded the Staten Island Bridge Discount Plan, saving drivers 50 percent off the E-ZPass rate when they make just three trips per month across our three bridges. And last year, the Port Authority and NYCT finalized a lease agreement that keeps Staten Island’s largest private employer operating through 2029 and reduces truck tolls to the facility by 50 percent.

The events on the George Washington Bridge last September were appalling and do not represent the values of the people of the Port Authority. We can and will do better, but it’s important to recognize the substantial steps we’ve taken to improve the infrastructure and generate jobs and economic activity on Staten Island.

[The writer is Executive Director, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.]